Principalship Graduate Certificate
College of Applied Human Sciences
The online Graduate Certificate in Principalship, offered by the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences, is designed for current teachers who want to become principals in K-12 schools. This program helps you translate your classroom expertise into the broader responsibilities of school leadership and prepares you to lead with confidence, make informed decisions, and create positive change in your school.
Cost:
$702 / Cost per credit hour *
Courses and Credits:
6 Courses / 18 Credit Hours
Duration:
15 months
Dates:
Next Start: August 18, 2026 Admission Terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
Learning Format:
Online asynchronous / Local internship
Program Overview
Where Leadership and Purpose Align
The Principalship Graduate Certificate empowers practicing teachers with the knowledge, skills, and credentials to become effective principals in K-12 schools. This 18-credit program combines academic rigor with hands-on experience through a 16-week internship, action-oriented place-based coursework, and a professional portfolio developed throughout the internship.
- Strategic and Instructional Leadership: Develop and apply mission- and vision-driven leadership strategies, design professional development plans, and implement curriculum, instruction, and assessment systems that support student achievement.
- Cultural Responsiveness and Ethical Practice: Evaluate and promote inclusive school cultures, make ethical decisions that protect the rights of students and staff, and lead with equity and care.
- Organizational and Community Leadership: Manage school operations, including facilities and resources, while fostering collaborative, community-engaged leadership practices rooted in place-based theory.
Whether you're driven by a desire to lead schools with integrity or to create inclusive, high-performing learning environments, this certificate prepares you to be a reflective, research-informed leader ready to meet the evolving challenges of today’s educational landscape.
The application for the Fall 2026 entry term will launch this fall. In the meantime, we encourage you to request information or connect with the admissions coach to learn more about the program and the application process.
Curriculum
You will complete five 8-week content courses and a 16-week internship aligned to the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards at a school local to you.
Upon completing this program, you will be equipped to:
- Make strategic leadership decisions, including the development of mission and vision driven by values and goals.
- Make instructional leadership decisions, including professional development plans, curriculum and instruction programs, and assessment and accountability systems.
- Evaluate climate and cultural leadership practices, including the establishment of a community of care for teachers and students and strategies toward equity and cultural responsiveness.
- Employ ethical decision-making regarding policies and utilize appropriate systems to protect the rights of students and faculty.
- Utilize organizational leadership practices to manage facilities, human and fiscal resources, and ensure a safe environment.
- Practice community-engaged, collaborative leadership strategies.
- Evaluate place-based leadership theories and practices.
Meet the Faculty
- EDUC 630 Strategic Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 631 Instructional Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 632 Cultural Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 633 Ethical & Policy Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 634 Organizational & Community Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 639 Leadership Internship 1, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 630: Strategic Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 634: Organizational and Community Leadership, 3 credit hours
Year One, Spring Semester
- EDUC 631: Instructional Leadership, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 632: Cultural Leadership, 3 credit hours
Year One, Summer Semester
- EDUC 633: Ethical & Policy Leadership
Year Two, Fall Semester
- Internship I, 3 credit hours
Admissions Requirements and Eligibility
- WVU Graduate admissions criteria
- Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (4-point scale) for regular graduate admission.
- Applicants with a GPA between 2.50 and 2.75 may be admitted as a provisional graduate student. Once admitted provisionally, students are required to achieve a 3.0 GPA in their first 9-hours of coursework to be reclassified as regular status and remain in the program.
- Professional Teaching Certificate
- At least 2 completed years of teaching (In order to obtain administrative licensure, students will need to have completed 3 years of teaching by program completion). The certificate is not dependent on successful licensure.*
Admissions Process and How to Apply
- One-two page statement of interest in the program
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended (other than WVU)
- Email to: GraduateAdmissions@mail.wvu.edu
- Mail to: WVU Office of Graduate Admissions, One Waterfront Place, PO Box 6510,
Morgantown, WV 26506-6510
- Resume or CV
- Two reference letters
Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies, and living expenses. Visit the Estimate Costs and Aid webpage to estimate and plan for other potential expenses.
Tuition per credit hour is listed on the page of your program of interest. Please note, tuition and fees are reviewed and subject to change at the start of each academic year.
Connect with Our Team
Ann Clayton Online Admissions Coach
(304) 293-0915 Ann.Clayton@mail.wvu.edu
Explore Profile Schedule Chat
Careers and Employment
The courses and internship opportunity in the Principalship Graduate Certificate program aims to prepare you to emerge as a leader in the K-12 education space. Upon completion of this program, you will be equipped to pursue any of the following career paths:
Career Paths
- K-12 Principal
- K-12 Superintendent